Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Our sweetheart 7 year old doberman Chy, started limping about two months ago. We took her in and had some xrays and bloodwork done. The xrays revealed a bone lesion above her front wrist in both her ulna and radius. The doctor said it might be cancer, but that it would be unusual for it to be in two bones next to each other. Blood work revealed a titer of 1:16 and positive IGG and IGA. We felt so blessed that it was Valley Fever.
We started fluconazole right away. Chy did not respond to the fluconazole at all. In fact, she got worse. She developed a painful swollen mass on her wrist that just kept growing and growing. I brought her back in after a couple of weeks. I told the vet it was bigger. She told us it just takes time for the medication to respond.
I brought her back again last week, asking for a different treatment, the mass was growing larger. They recommended trying the Companion Laser Therapy. I was willing to try anything to help her. The next day, it had swollen even larger, by half an inch. I had started measuring it after discovering that the vet never did. I brought her back three days later for her next laser treatment, not for laser, but to grill the vet even more. She did more xrays and poor Chy's bone has been decimated.
I took her to an Onocologist on Monday, and yesterday her biopsy revealed Osteosarcoma. She actually has BOTH Valley Fever and Osteosarcoma??? This is insane. I don't know what to do. I cannot find ANYTHING on the internet about a dual diagnosis.
The Onocologist will amputate for $3000. But she has 2 deadly diseases? I don't know what to do. I've gotten so much incorrect and conflicted information from three different vets. I just don't know where to turn. 
ChysMom I'm in the chat right now, hop over if you want to talk.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Ok, first things first . . . B R E A T H E. I know, easier said than done. You've been through a LOT and your head is spinning. I'm so sorry!
First watch this video by Dr. Pam Wiltzius, a long-time member here:
Diagnosing Bone Cancer in Dogs: What to Expect
Now, do you live in an area prone to Valley Fever? What made your vet think it was VF? And what did the onco say about the first diagnosis?
I've never heard of a dog having both (that's not to say it can't happen) but I have seen other dogs go through this same misdiagnosis. I'm so sorry you did too. It sounds like you're just dealing with osteosarcoma, but your onco can tell you more about how to determine if Chy truly has two or if it's only osteo.
In either case it sounds like the leg has to come off. Is Chy a good candidate for amputation surgery? If so then good! Rest assured that most dogs do fine and go on to live great lives on three legs. Check out Jerry's Required Reading List for a glimpse at what to expect and when you get a chance our Tripawds e-books are really helpful too.
Hang in there. This is ruff but we're here to help you however we can. Stay tuned for others who will chime in, this is a wonderful community. Oh and your future posts won't require approval so post away.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sorry for the delay. I'm juggling a bit here.
Chy was diagnosed with Valley Fever per blood test results mid December. Her titer was 1:16 and both IGG and IGA were positive. Her bone biopsy came in yesterday as Osteosarcoma. I'm perplexed. Did one of the labs get it wrong? I can try to upload the lab work if it's possible to do on here? I really don't know what to do 
Hmmm. Well there is always a chance that the lab got it wrong. What did your onco say?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
The Oncologist said the bone biopsy is Osteosarcoma, but her initial labs in December are positive for Valley Fever. She supposedly has both. I tried to get the pathology report emailed to me, but they said that they can't email it. I have to go and pick it up. I'm going now and should have everything posted this afternoon. I have several concerns, but I don't want my grief to cause me to say anything untrue about the vets. This is just so rare and weird. I'll get them posted right away. Going to pull myself together and go get everything to post here. Thank you so much. I'm so overwhelmed with sadness.
Bless your heart! What an incredible roller coaster! After all this, everythingnhere on out will be a cake walk...relatively speaking!
I know you must be sick with fear and feel like you've just jumped off a cliff with no end in sight! Well, we are here withnyou and we've attached a very strong lifeline to you and we are pulling you back off that cliff!
And good for you for being such a STRONG ADVOCATE foryour Chy!! You have ditched the first vet, right??
I can't offer any insight on these specific challenges, other than to sah MISTAKES are made!! One thing that does seem to be clear as Jerry said, if Chy is a good candidate, that painful leg needs to be off!
If I got this straight...the first vet was treating her for Valley Fever but to no avail, right? That could clearlyindicate a misdiagnosis
Is Chy on a good dose of pain meds right now? You need a little time to get the CORRECT info. about the "fever". I doubt that the lab will send it directly to you though...perhapse with the nco's authorization. Do you feel cnfident withyour onoc? I hoe so...you deserve a break!
B R E A T H E............B R E A T H E............ This WILL get straight and you WILL develop a plan that is in Chy's best interest. Just dealng with osteo and amputation can be overwhelmng.....you're gettng a double whammy, that's for sure!
You and Chy are a strng team and you WILL get past this .....you will.....and you will get n with getting Chy's sparkle back and living a pain-free quality life full of fun,love and lots of spoiling!!
Sendingng you clarity, calm and lots of hugs!!
Sally and Happy Hannah
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Oh my! Oh my! Ok, so many thoughts. Here's how I'd tackle it:
1) If Chy is healthy enough, schedule that amp right away. It's growing fast and is painful! Get that out out out. Send it to pathology for cancer analysis AND Valley Fever detection.
Now, HUG Chy
2) Before amp or during, have them take another sample for Valley Fever testing.
Now, belly rub for Chy
3) Recover from amp. Think about treatment options for cancer
Now, play with Chy
4) Recover from amp. Research Valley Fever treatment. My understanding is that as awful and scary as cancer IS, Valley Fever can be treated. I doubt can do any cancer treatments when Chy is positive for VF. You gotta get VF under control first.
Now, cuddle with Chy
5) After VF treated, revisit cancer treatments.
Now, love up on Chy like never before b/c Chy is in the BEST hands possible, is LOVED deeply, and has made it through!!!
~ Katy & Jackson
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
Just my .02 about Valley Fever. We live in the central valley of california where pretty much anybody who has lived here more than a year has been exposed at one time or another. One of my dogs has tested positive for the antibodies to valley fever via blood test, but the follow up Cocci titer and xrays showed no sign of "active" infection and he has never showed any symptoms equated with valley fever (ie weight loss, coughing, etc). That said, my concern would be that the first vet made a mistake (they are human, after all) and focused on the valley fever as the most likely offender, thereby missing the osteosarcoma.
Were there other symptoms or factors that caused you to initially seek treatment or was the primary focus the limp?
Here is good site for valley fever info.....
https://www.vfc.....fault.aspx
Deep breaths, you sound like a great advocate and the facts can be sorted out to get you and Chy on the best course of treatment.
Cheers,
Kat and Rosie
Thanks for sharing Kat, that's valuable info.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am so sorry you are going through this. I can share my story - Shelby and I live in Los Angeles. When she broke her leg there was no definitive diagnosis of Osteosarcoma so they assumed perhaps Valley Fever and fixed her leg and did another biopsy that came back negative for any cancer. Flash forward 4 months, her spleen nearly ruptured and was removed and biopsed and tested positive for hemangiosarcoma. So we started a path of chemo on that. 4 more months, her leg started bugging her and we amputated. Final biopsy on the leg - hemangiosarcoma.
So my point is, this is confusing and hard to process and hard to know if you are making the right decisions but labs do make mistakes. It can be hard to see (they wouldn't have seen the cancer in Shelby's leg but it clearly kept eating away at it). Just try and take some comfort that you are a wonderful pet parent and are making the right choices with the information you have.
In Shelby's case, they said she's a rare case (and a costly one too if you ask me) but I've done everything right by her and that does help me sleep at night (sort of but I am working on that). Wishing you all the best!!!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Whoa--eerily similar situation here, but in reverse. Jesse has been limping for 2 weeks (6 yo shepherd/Rott/? mix), took him for xrays, vet said OSA (which is what I had suspected, not that it made hearing it any easier). We both cried (she is a good friend of mine). Then she called me later and said the radiology report indicated that the lesion is "most consistend with fungal osteomyletis" (so valley fever lesion).
Which surprised the vet b/c the xray lesion looks like OSA--but they are so similar in appearance and this radiologist is super experienced. Plus we live in the southwest, the only place that VF is really likely (from what I've read). Vet also surprised b/c Jesse has NO other symptoms of VF--no weight loss, nothing. Still, she gave me diflucan, in addition to the Rimadyl and tramadol she had already prescribed for the pain. Not any swelling near the lesion yet (it's on the bottom of his right rear femur).
http://www.bone.....ncers.html
(about valley fever mimicking osteosarcoma)
So I'm hopeful that it's VF and responds to antifungals. BUT without other VF symptoms, and given that Jesse fits the profile for dogs most likely to get osteosarcoma (large male rott/Shepherd mix, neutered as a pup, 6-7 years old), I'm still prepared for it to be OSA.
Interested to hear the outcome of your situation and wondering if we have the only two dogs who have both OSA and VF, or what.
(We didn't do a titer b/c it's likely that he'd have some signs of it anyway b/c he's always lived in the southwest...likewise, she doesn't usually biopsy for OSA, just presumes that it is. We will xray in a few weeks and know for sure--either it'll be better/gone and it was VF, or it'll be worse and is OSA--or was both VF and OSA and the VF went away).
Sigh.
Hi JessesMama, welcome. Please consider registering so your future posts won't require approval.
I hope it's Valley Fever too! A few weeks will seem like an eternity I'm sure. Good luck and please keep us posted. Thanks fr sharing your experience.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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